Starting attachment for engine manifolds



Jan. 16, 1951 J. HOLMES 2,538,455

sTARTING ATTACHMENT FOR ENGINE MANIFOLDS Filed Jan. 11, 1949 Fig.

Joe L Holmes INVENTOR.

BY QM adv/W @M Patented Jan. 16, 1951 QLE RICE? STARTING ATTACHMENT FORENGINEL IFOBDS Joe 11.; Holmes, liaris jlexn Applicatitn lanuary 11, 1945, SrialtNbi-fii338 4 Glaimsu (C1; .12&a-1:80.=);'

This invention relates tm newand useful in t provemQnts andstructuraP refinements" devices ion facilitating-mnestarting cf internal combus tion' engines; particularly automobile enginesz' or the like, andtlie prin pal ob'jectof tlie inven ticnx-isi't'o facil-itaite star-t g=by the-preventiemof flee-ding fr the: intake'manif old bysuperfluous vaporization of fuel-in tli'e-fioafi chamber of-- thecarcuretor i I This: object is achieved by theprovisionmfi arr attach-mentfor the" intake rna-r'rif'ol'd', an impor tant feature 'ef tlie-invention involving=what may bez refe'rred to' as a vapor-'smrage-tank wherein superfiiioue vapci ma-y accumulate after" a-l'ieat'ed engine-le stopped} rather th'an beingpermitted" to: flood intake 'manifold and render start'-- ing-i difiieultpif n0t impossible? Another feature of the invention involiiestli 2%.": flooding of' tlie' latterby suerfluous vaporization of fuel-in the float chamber 3- after" the 'h'eated engine is stopped, which superfiuousvaporization; ifpermitted "to occur? usuallyflood-s the-intake manifold to such extent thatstarting is extremelw difiicirlt andwvhentheengine is=ultimately'started,

. the fuel mixture is extrer-nely' rich and une en provision-of: an automatic valve in the attachment, which valve controls the rate of flow of vapor between theintake-inanifold -and the vapor storage tank and thereby assures that vapors are withdrawn from the manifold at approximately the same rate as they are formed.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its adaptability to convenient installation on engines of 7 various types, and in its adapatability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the internal combustion engine of an automobile and illustrating the invention in association therewith, and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail of the valve used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the general reference character l0 designates a conventional internal combustion engine such as is used, for example, in an automobile l2, the engine [0 including an intake manifold I4 with which communicates a carburetor IS, the float chamber l8 of the latter, in turn, receiving its supply of fuel from a pump 20, as will be clearly apparent.

The invention involves the provision of an attachment for the intake manifold M to prevent this gine opera'tion correspondingly ineflieients 'l ne 'startingattaehment is" designated gener ally by the reference. characteriFand embod-ie'sr the tank 25 and is connected. in any-' 'su-itable manner tothe intake manifold 43 asanmcmd aid-'30.:

An utomatic centrol' valve assembly 32 3s= prov 17 eon" the conduit 28*and thetar-11c e'assembly embodying n: its constru tion'i'a nollow; elongated body M havi-Iig arr'end' wall formed with an opening 3B- wlaich communi cates with the tank 24 through the medium of a nipple 38, the end portions of the latter being screw-threaded in internally threaded sockets 40, 42, respectively, on the tank and on the valve body, respectively, as will be clearly apparent.

The remaining end wall of the body 34 assumes the form of a removable, screw-threaded adapter 44 to which is secured an end portion of. the aforementioned conduit 28 by means of a coupling nut 46, the adapter 44 being formed with an axial bore or passage 48 whereby the conduit 28 communicates with the interior of the valve body 34.

The end Wall of the body 34 surrounding the opening 36 constitutes a valve seat 50 which is engageable by a valve member assuming the form of a circular plate or disk 52, the latter being movably positioned in the valve body and being urged in engagement with the seat 50 by a suitable compression spring 54. It is to be observed that the valve member 52 is provided substantially in the center thereof with a metering aperture or orifice 56, the purpose of which. will be hereinafter more fully described.

When the invention is placed in use: and the engine I0, after becoming heated, is stopped, superfluous vaporization of fuel in the float chamber [8 of the carburetor l6 will overflow, so to speak, into the intake manifold l4,but assuming the tank 24 to be empty, that is, {at sub-atmospheric pressure, the excess vapors will be withdrawn from the manifold I4 throughthe conduit 28 and through the metering orifice 56 eflfects from excess vapors in the manifold, and

as soon as the engine is in motion, that is, as soon as sub-atmospheric pressure exists in the intake manifold M, the valve member 52 will automatically become unseated and the vapors in the storage tank 24 will be permitted to swiftly return through the valve and through the conduit 28 into the manifold, for subsequent consumption by the engine. Needless to say, as long as the engine is in operation, sub-atmospheric pressure will exist in the tank 24 so that the tank is in readiness to receive excessive vapors as soon as the engine is again stopped.

Needless to say, in the absence of sub-atmospheric pressure in the intake manifold M, the spring 54 is sufficiently strong to maintain the valve member 52 in engagement with the seat 50,

and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. An attachment for preventing flooding of an engine manifold by superfluous vaporization of fuel in carbuetor, said attachment comprising a vapor storage tank, a conduit connecting said tank to an intake manifold, and automatic means for controlling the rate of flow of vapor through said conduit.

2. An attachment for preventing flooding of an engine manifold by superfluous vaporization of fuel in carbuetor, said attachment comprising a vapor storage tank, a conduit connecting said invention, what is tank to an intake manifold, and automtaic means provided on said conduit for controlling the rate of flow of vapor from the manifold to said tank.

3. An attachment for preventing flooding of an engine manifold by superfluous vaporization of fuel in carburetor, said attachment comprising a vapor storage tank, a conduit connecting said tank to an intake manifold, and an automatic control valve provided on said conduit for effecting a relatively slow passage of vapor from the manifold to said tank and a relatively fast return thereof from the tank to the manifold.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said valve comprises a hollow elongated body having an end wall formed with an opening in communication with said tank, the end wall surrounding said opening providing a valve seat, a valve plate movable in said body and engageable with said seat, said plate being formed with a metering orifice, the interior of said body communicating through the medium of said conduit with the manifold, and resilient means in said body for engaging said plate with said seat in the absence of sub-atmospheric pressure in the manifold.

J OE L. HOLMES.

No references cited. 

